Vinnie Pasquantino had a message for Team USA after he helped Team Italy defeat Team Mexico, 9-1, to clinch Pool B of the World Baseball Classic.

Italy’s victory also helped the U.S. to advance to the quarterfinals as the No. 2 seed. Pasquantino, who smashed a WBC record three home runs in the game, had friendly words for America following their win.

‘That was unbelievable, huh,’ Pasquantino said in a postgame interview. ‘You’re welcome, USA. We were thinking of you guys, over at your hotel. We were thinking of you guys, so glad you guys can join us in the party.’

Italy’s win clinched a berth to the quarterfinals as well.

The next set of games will happen over the weekend. United States will play their North American neighbors, going against Canada — the top seed from Pool A — on Friday at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas.

Italy, the top seed from Pool B, will play Puerto Rico on Saturday in the quarterfinal round at Daikin Park.

The winners of the two games will advance to the semifinals in Miami.

For as hard as it is to make the NCAA Tournament, it’s really easy to take yourself out of it.

Auburn, one of the most polarizing March Madness bubble candidates, was on the brink of kissing its chances goodbye in the opening round of the SEC tournament. The Tigers were shaken by Mississippi State in the first half with a 10-point deficit, not looking remotely close to a unit that should hear its name called on Selection Sunday.

But to their credit, Auburn recovered and played like its life was on the line. It was a night-and-day performance coming out of halftime with a dominant final 20 minutes to avoid the upset and advance.

Projected to miss the tournament in the latest USA TODAY Sports Bracketology, It’s not a win that will drastically move the 17-15 Tigers into the field. Yet, it wouldn’t be possible without it.

Auburn is as confusing as it comes. You can argue why it should be in with some major wins and tough schedule, or shouldn’t be in with all of the losses. No matter which way you lean, everyone could agree it needs to impress in the SEC tournament. A Quad 3 loss and Auburn would’ve surely been out of consideration. Instead, there is hope.

The work is far from over since a win over the Bulldogs doesn’t move the needle much. However, what’s ahead surely will.

Auburn now has one of the biggest bubble games of the season in the second round against Tennessee. A win over the Volunteers would be monumental and could alter the projected field completely. Advancing to the quarterfinals against Vanderbilt and winning that could silence the critics.

But it has to get Step 1 done first and beat Tennessee. Auburn got a second life to keep its tournament hopes alive, and it cannot waste it as it leads the tournament watch winners and losers from Wednesday’s action.

March Madness bubble winners

NC State

A team trending in the wrong direction, NC State ended the regular season with four straight losses with a couple of ranked beatdowns and bad losses. The Wolfpack weren’t in danger of missing the tournament, but needed to show something to not fall into a possible No. 11 seed situation.

Against Pittsburgh in the ACC tournament second round, early it looked like a devastating Quad 3 loss was on the horizon. However, Will Wade’s offense kept pace and used a strong second half start to avoid the collapse.

It’s not an impressive victory, but one NC State needed to calm the waters. Now there really won’t be a worry for Selection Sunday, and it can just focus on moving up the seed line. It gets a chance against Virginia in the quarterfinals.

Oklahoma

On a night where so many bubble teams faltered, Oklahoma benefits from simply picking up a Quad 3 win.

The Sooners put to rest a sneaky South Carolina team in the second half to stay alive in the SEC tournament. It’s not a victory that is going to boost the resume at all, but mostly, it’s not a loss. With other hopefuls seeing their hopes dashed away with early exits, it’s opened the door for Oklahoma to sneak in after not being in the conversation for much of the season.

Five straight wins results in just being outside the projected bracket, and unlike others, Oklahoma still has a chance to boost its stock. There is a good shot with Texas A&M next. Get that victory and the bubble talk gets even more interesting.

March Madness bubble losers

Indiana

Football had a magical season. Basketball won’t get the chance to do the same.

The Hoosiers suffered another embarrassing loss to Northwestern, completely getting outclassed by the Wildcats in the second half en route to a 13-point loss. Indiana entered the week projected to play in the First Four, but this loss likely means it doesn’t make the field. It lost six of its last seven games and not only is the 3-11 Quad 1 record ugly, but a 3-3 Quad 2 record is likely worse.

Darian DeVries was supposed to bring magic back to Indiana but instead it’s about to miss the tournament the third straight year, which hasn’t happened since Tom Crean’s first years in 2008-11.

Big 12 outside shots

Cincinnati and West Virginia entered the week with a chance to make a late push, both in the first four out. They needed wins Tuesday to keep momentum going, but instead suffered crushing defeats to spoil it.

West Virginia got routed by BYU and Cincinnati had a stunning collapse a stunning collapse against Central Florida. The Bearcats were up by eight with two minutes left and made consistent mistakes to allow the Knights to force overtime, and UCF rode the wave to steal the victory.

The Big 12 has been the strongest conference this season and had a shot to send more teams to the tournament, but the shortcomings will keep the Bearcats and Mountaineers out of the field.

Texas

The Longhorns seemed like a surefire tournament team a few weeks ago but not now after a quick exit in the SEC tournament.

Texas faced a Mississippi team that finished second-to-last in the conference, but it didn’t look like it in a complete domination of the Longhorns for a wire-to-wire win. It was just the latest example of Texas not resembling a tournament team, the fifth loss in the last six games for an uncomfortable 18-14 record.

Not only is it a bunch of losses, but a 1-4 Quad 2 record to go with a 6-9 Quad 1 mark isn’t impressive. The Longhorns could find themselves falling closer to a No. 11 seed spot without having any control of it.

SMU

Get ready for a couple of stressful days, SMU, since it was unable to boost its resume in the ACC tournament.

After finally ending a four-game skid with an opening round victory over Syracuse on Tuesday, the Mustangs needed more and had a chance against Louisville. For the majority of the day, SMU looked like it could take down the Cardinals and get a massive victory. However, it didn’t score in the final two and a half minutes and Louisville powered through for the win.

SMU is one of the last four in, but can now only hope no other team steals bids and pushes them down the line. Had the Mustangs won, they could have secured their selection. It’s a miserable feeling being unable to do anything about it, but it’s the price to pay for having such a rough end to the season.

In a battle of unbeaten baseball powerhouses, the Dominican Republic remained an indomitable force in this World Baseball Classic.

The Dominicans claimed the Pool D championship March 11 with a power-packed 7-5 victory over Venezuela at Miami’s loanDepot Park, with every run coming courtesy of the home run and their closer providing a dash of ninth-inning drama they managed to navigate before an amped, bipartisan crowd of 36,230.

Juan Soto, Ketel Marte, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Fernando Tatis Jr. all hit home runs to complete the Dominicans’ dominant run through pool play, during which they outscored opponents 41-10.

The Dominican Republic advances to face Korea in the quarterfinals March 13 in Miami. And while both teams were assured of advancing before their showdown, the Dominicans’ victory is still a big one: Venezuela must face defending champion Japan in its quarterfinal match at loanDepot Park.

It was a rousing and needed run through pool play for the Dominican Republic, which lost to Venezuela and failed to advance out of the preliminary round in 2023. This time, they simply bullied opponents with the home run ball and stout relief pitching.

The first seven batters in the Dominican lineup all had OPSes between .859 (Manny Machado) and 1.583 (Guerrero, who had three hits against Venezuela).

And on the mound, Huascar Brazobán, Juan Mejia, Seranthony Domínguez, Dennis Santana and Camilo Doval combined to shut out Venezuela from the fourth through eighth innings on just two hits. Abner Uribe walked the bases loaded in the ninth, prompting manager Albert Pujols to insert Elvis Alvarado with the tying run at the plate.

Alvarado gave up a sacrifice fly to Luis Arráez to make it 7-4 and then the Athletics right-hander threw the ball into center field on a comebacker from Willson Contreras that could’ve been a game-ending double play. It was 7-5 with the tying run at first, but Alvarado got Salvador Perez on a double play to end it.

The celebration was worthy of a pool-play championship. And the knockout rounds also might not be able to handle the power the Dominicans are packing.

USA TODAY Sports provided live updates throughout the game:

WBC tickets in Houston and Miami!

Dominican Republic vs. Venezuela highlights

Dominican bullpen posts three scoreless innings, takes 7-3 lead into seventh

It’s not just the homer-happy lineup that has the Dominican Republic poised for a Pool D championship. The run-preventing relievers have a pretty big hand in it, too.

Huascar Brazoban, Juan Mejia and Seranthony Dominguez posted scoreless innings, giving up just one hit and one walk, to carry the Domincan through the fourth, fifth and sixth and into the late innings with its 7-3 lead over Venezuela intact.

The trio showed their major league chops – Brazoban is a Met, Mejia a Rockie and Dominguez the newly-signed closer for the Chicago White Sox – in quelling the equally potent Venezuela lineup. They also picked up for starter Sandy Alcantara, who gave up three runs in three innings on 44 pitches.

Fernando Tatis Jr. three-run homer busts it open for Dominican

The clouts are only getting mightier for the Dominican Republic.

Fernando Tatis Jr. ripped a two-out, three-run homer with two outs in the top of the fourth inning, extending the Dominican’s lead to 7-3 over Venezuela – with all the runs coming on home runs.

Tatis joined Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in hitting his second homer in four games of this WBC, and Ketel Marte and Juan Soto also went deep. Yet this rally also revealed the great depth of the Dominican lineup.

Venezuela reliever Antonio Senzatela looked primed for a 1-2-3 inning. Then, he walked No. 8 hitter Austin Wells. Geraldo Perdomo, the great Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop, then followed with a single up the middle, turning the lineup over for Tatis.

He did not miss, crushing a Senzatela slider 394 feet over the Venezuela bullpen in left field, punctuating it with a bat flip on his follow-through and the de rigueuer giddy trip around the bases.

Venezuela scores two more, narrows Dominican lead to 4-3

If the Dominican Republic is owning the air above loanDepot Park’s playing surface, Venezuela will simply stick to the ground game.

Venezuela got RBI doubles from Maikel Garcia and Luis Arráez as it trimmed the Dominican Republic’s lead to 4-3 after three innings.

Naturally, the rally was started by Ronald Acuña Jr., who drew a leadoff walk, stole second and scored on Garcia’s double. By inning’s end, Dominican starter Sandy Alcantara’s pitch count hit 44, and he’s likely done for the night.

Antonio Senzatela has come on in relief for Venezuela in the top of the fourth.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. rockets a third homer for 4-1 Dominican lead

All they do is hit home runs.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit the third home run in as many innings for the Dominican Republic, clouting an Eduard Bazardo sweeper into the glum Venezuela bullpen in left field to give the visitors a 4-1 lead heading to the bottom of the third inning in Miami.

It was Guerrero’s second home run of this WBC and it came one out after Ketel Marte extended the lead on his own solo shot. Juan Soto got the party going early with a two-run, first-inning homer.

Ketel Marte jumps on home run train for 3-1 Dominican lead

Eduardo Rodriguez has been chased from the game, and another man has donned the Dominican Republic’s home run jacket.

Ketel Marte drove a Rodriguez sinker 403 feet out to left field and into a throng of giddy fans as the Dominican Republic took a 3-1 lead in the top of the third inning at Miami.

All three home runs, per the modern Dominican WBC custom, have come via the long ball. Rodriguez stayed in for one more batter to strike out Juan Soto – he homered early – and was lifted for Eduard Bazardo.

Venezuela gets one back immediately, trails 2-1

Hold off on the all-night party at loanDepot Park for the Dominican Republic.

Though not as gaudy as Juan Soto’s 409-foot home run, the Venezuelans nonetheless cut their deficit in half on a walk and two singles, the latter by Willson Contreras off Dominican starter Sandy Alcantara to score Maikel Garcia and make it a 2-1 game.

Alcantara finished the first inning with 19 pitches.

Juan Soto jumps on Venezuela for two-run homer

Yes, the Dominican lineup is as impossible to pitch to as it seems. Eduardo Rodriguez found that out immediately.

On just his 13th pitch, $765 million man Juan Soto smoked a 409-foot, two-run homer to near dead center field, giving the Dominican Republic an instant 2-0 lead. Soto’s homer followed Ketel Marte’s single to right.

It was Soto’s second home run of this WBC. Can Ronald Acuña Jr. answer? Stay tuned.

How to watch Dominican Republic vs Venezuela baseball

• Time: 7 p.m. ET
• TV channel: Tubi
• Live stream: Fubo

Watch DR vs Cuba WBC game live

Dominican Republic lineup 

Starting pitcher: RHP Sandy Alcantara

1. RF Fernando Tatis Jr.
2. 2B Ketel Marte
3. LF Juan Soto
4. 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
5. 3B Manny Machado
6. DH Junior Caminero
7. CF Julio Rodriguez
8. C Austin Wells
9. SS Geraldo Perdomo

Venezuela lineup tonight

Starting pitcher: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez

1. RF Ronald Acuña Jr.
2. 3B Maikel Garcia
3. 2B Luis Arráez
4. 1B Willson Contreras
5. DH Salvador Perez
6. C William Contreras
7. LF Wilyer Abreu
8. SS Ezequiel Tovar
9. CF Jackson Chourio

WBC Pool D standings

• Dominican Republic: 3-0
• Venezuela: 3-0
• Israel: 2-2
• Netherlands: 1-3
• Nicaragua: 0-4

The wait for Lionel Messi’s 900th goal continues.

Messi and Inter Miami played to a scoreless draw on the road against Nashville SC in the first leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 matchup at Geodis Park on Wednesday, March 11.

Messi – the Argentine World Cup champion – entered the match sitting on 899 goals for club and country in his career, hoping to join rival Cristiano Ronaldo (965) beyond the lofty threshold.

Messi scored 15 goals in 10 matches against Nashville, more than any other club he’s faced in MLS since joining in July 2023. He was defended well by multiple pesky defenders throughout the night, unable to deliver a highlight moment on a rainy, chilly night in Nashville.

Perhaps his best opportunity, Messi was unable to score after firing a shot with his right foot in the 57th minute after a clear run toward the right side of the net. His shot was saved by Nashville goalkeeper Brian Schwake to prevent a historic goal. It was also Inter Miami’s only shot on goal in the match.

“We know them, and they know us,” Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said of Nashville. “When the game finishes nil-nil, it’s because both teams were thinking about how to disturb the opponent’s attack.”

Added Nashville coach B.J. Callahan: “We walk away pleased with the performance and the result, still knowing we have a few things to work on. But not completely satisfied, knowing we have a big second leg coming up.”

Inter Miami resumes to MLS play at Charlotte FC, while Nashville visits the Columbus Crew on Saturday, March 14 – before they meet again in the second leg on March 18 at Inter Miami Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.

Dayne St. Clair, the reigning MLS goalkeeper of the year who joined Inter Miami this offseason, did his part to keep the aggregate score in the series to a minimum saving several shots by MVP runner-up Sam Surridge and former MVP Hany Mukhtar.

St. Clair also made stellar saved on a header attempt by Nashville’s Reed Baker-Whiting in the 65th minute, as Inter Miami’s defense needed to adjust following the opening minutes.

Starting defender Maxi Falcon was replaced by Gonzalo Lugan after sustaining a left knee injury following a collision on a shot clearance by St. Clair in the 5th minute.

“It was obviously important for the tie, for the team and also for him,” Mascherano said of St. Clair’s impact. “I think he had a great performance.”

Messi was pushed down by Baker-Whiting in the final minutes of stoppage time to set up a free kick, but time expired after his kick sailed out of bounds.

Inter Miami may have slightly dominated possession, but Nashville pushed the tempo with 15 shots and five shots on goal against the defending MLS champions.

“We have great respect for them,” Callahan said of Inter Miami. “When we have to prepare for them, doing that work and competing makes us better. We’re going to take some things about this game, and go at it again.”

The second leg match will be Inter Miami’s first home match of the season, played at Inter Miami Stadium in Fort Lauderdale as the club awaits the opening of Nu Stadium at Miami Freedom Park on April 4.

“We’ll see next week,” Mascherano said. “We’re stronger when we play at home. We haven’t [since the season started]. I’ll tell the fans, we need the fans also to get through to the quarterfinal.”

Check out these highlights from the Nashville vs. Inter Miami match:

Nashville vs. Inter Miami highlights

Nashville 0, Inter Miami 0: Alex Muyl fires shot over net (82’)

Alex Muyl fired a shot over the net in the 82^nd minute, another chance squandered by Nashville.

Nashville 0, Inter Miami 0: Mukhtar misses right boot (70’)

Nashville’s Hany Mukhtar misfired on a shot in the 70^th minute just outside the right post.

Nashville 0, Inter Miami 0: Dayne St. Clair saves header (65’)

After a corner kick, Nashville’s Reed Baker-Whiting nearly scored in the 65^th minute, but his header was saved by Inter Miami goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair.

Nashville 0, Inter Miami 0: Warren Madrigal misses shot

Nashville unable to convert on a sequence that saw Warren Madrigal miss a shot to the outside of the right post in the 61^st minute.

Nashville 0, Inter Miami 0: Messi misses right boot (57’)

Messi’s best chance of the night with a clear run toward the right side of the net, he was unable to score after firing a shot with his right foot in the 57^th minute, saved by Nashville goalkeeper Brian Schwake. He was well defended on another sequence that followed a minute later.  

Nashville 0, Inter Miami 0: Germán Berterame picks up yellow card (51’)

Inter Miami striker Germán Berterame is issued a yellow card after a contest on Nashville’s Matthew Corcoran in the 51^st minute.

Nashville 0, Inter Miami 0: Messi’s charge deflected (47’)

Messi’s dribble was deflected away by Nashville defender Maxwell Woledzi in the 47^th minute.

Nashville 0, Inter Miami 0: Halftime update

Despite the score, Nashville has been in control of this one with Sam Surridge leading the charge. He fired multiple shots toward the net, and Inter Miami’s goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair has been steady. Inter Miami has just two shots in the match, including a deflected shot by Messi in the 35th minute.

Nashville 0, Inter Miami 0: Surridge shot saved by St. Clair (42’)

Nashville’s Sam Surridge blasted a right boot, but it was another save by Inter Miami’s Dayne St. Clair in the 42nd minute.

Nashville 0, Inter Miami 0: St. Clair saves shot by Madrigal (38′)

Nashville’s Warren Madrigal fired a left boot after a through ball from Sam Surridge, but it was saved by Inter Miami goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair.

Nashville 0, Inter Miami: Messi’s shot deflected (35’)

Messi’s first shot of the match is deflected by Nashville defender Patrick Yazbek just outside the box. He possessed the ball several times, but has been harassed by multiple Nashville defenders in the first half.

Nashville 0, Inter Miami 0: Nashville’s goalkeeper favors hamstring

Nashville goalkeeper Brian Schwake was seen pointing toward his left hamstring while signaling toward the bench in the 23rd minute, but stays on.

Nashville 0, Inter Miami 0: Hany Mukhtar, Andy Nájar miss at the net

Nashville’s Hany Mukhtar and Andy Nájar got two shots off near the net, testing Dayne St. Clair, but to no avail in the 19th minute.

Nashville 0, Inter Miami 0: Surridge misses early shot (11′)

Sam Surridge, Nashville’s MLS MVP runner-up from a season ago, missed a right boot in the 11th minute just outside the left post.

Nashville 0, Inter Miami 0: Early injury, substitute for Miami (7′)

A defensive change in the first five minutes of the match for Inter Miami: Gonzalo Lujan comes on for Maxi Falcon, who sustained a left knee injury following a collision after goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair cleared a shot by Nashville.

What time is Nashville SC vs. Inter Miami match in Champions Cup?

The match begins at 7:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. CT in Nashville, 9:30 p.m. in Argentina).

How to watch Nashville SC vs. Inter Miami play in Champions Cup?

The match is available on FS2 in English, and TUDN in Spanish in the U.S. It will also be available via CONCACAF Go or the Concacaf YouTube channel.

Is Messi playing tonight? Inter Miami, Nashville starting lineups

Yes, Messi is in the Inter Miami starting lineup and will play. Here’s the starting 11 for both sides:

Lionel Messi stats vs. Nashville

Messi has scored 15 goals with four assists in 10 matches vs. Nashville across all competitions. He has scored in all but one of those matches, including a hat trick in a 5-2 win in Nashville on Oct. 18, 2025.

What Inter Miami and Nashville are saying before the match

Nashville coach B.J. Callaghan: “When you look back at the history of Nashville and Miami, I think it’s really important that we reflect, analyze how those games go. You can learn lessons from history. But what I would also say is, history doesn’t necessarily dictate what’s going to happen in the future.”

Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano on Nashville: “It’s a tough, difficult game, as always when we play in Nashville. We know their fans will be putting on the pressure, and above all, we have to keep in mind that they’re a team with blood in their eyes. When you face a rival that we’ve fortunately eliminated and that helped us win the championship last year, and in previous seasons the club has even won finals against them, it’s clear that they’re going to want their revenge … and we have to be very prepared for that.”

Messi’s upcoming schedule with Inter Miami, Argentina

• March 14: Charlotte FC vs. Inter Miami, 7:30 p.m. ET (MLS regular season)
• March 18: Inter Miami vs. Nashville SC, 7 p.m. ET (Concacaf Champions Cup, second leg)
• March 22: New York City FC vs. Inter Miami, 1 p.m. ET (MLS regular season)
• March 27: Spain vs. Argentina, 2 p.m. ET (Finalissima)
• March 31: Qatar vs. Argentina, TBD (International friendly)
• April 4: Inter Miami vs. Austin FC, 7:30 p.m. ET (MLS regular season)

In a battle of unbeaten baseball powerhouses, the Dominican Republic remained an indomitable force in this World Baseball Classic.

The Dominicans claimed the Pool D championship March 11 with a power-packed 7-5 victory over Venezuela at Miami’s loanDepot Park, with every run coming courtesy of the home run and their closer providing a dash of ninth-inning drama they managed to navigate before an amped, bipartisan crowd of 36,230.

Juan Soto, Ketel Marte, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Fernando Tatis Jr. all hit home runs to complete the Dominicans’ dominant run through pool play, during which they outscored opponents 41-10.

The Dominican Republic advances to face Korea in the quarterfinals March 13 in Miami. And while both teams were assured of advancing before their showdown, the Dominicans’ victory is still a big one: Venezuela must face defending champion Japan in its quarterfinal match at loanDepot Park.

It was a rousing and needed run through pool play for the Dominican Republic, which lost to Venezuela and failed to advance out of the preliminary round in 2023. This time, they simply bullied opponents with the home run ball and stout relief pitching.

The first seven batters in the Dominican lineup all had OPSes between .859 (Manny Machado) and 1.583 (Guerrero, who had three hits against Venezuela).

And on the mound, Huascar Brazobán, Juan Mejia, Seranthony Domínguez, Dennis Santana and Camilo Doval combined to shut out Venezuela from the fourth through eighth innings on just two hits. Abner Uribe walked the bases loaded in the ninth, prompting manager Albert Pujols to insert Elvis Alvarado with the tying run at the plate.

Alvarado gave up a sacrifice fly to Luis Arráez to make it 7-4 and then the Athletics right-hander threw the ball into center field on a comebacker from Willson Contreras that could’ve been a game-ending double play. It was 7-5 with the tying run at first, but Alvarado got Salvador Perez on a double play to end it.

The celebration was worthy of a pool-play championship. And the knockout rounds also might not be able to handle the power the Dominicans are packing.

USA TODAY Sports provided live updates throughout the game:

WBC tickets in Houston and Miami!

Dominican bullpen posts three scoreless innings, takes 7-3 lead into seventh

It’s not just the homer-happy lineup that has the Dominican Republic poised for a Pool D championship. The run-preventing relievers have a pretty big hand in it, too.

Huascar Brazoban, Juan Mejia and Seranthony Dominguez posted scoreless innings, giving up just one hit and one walk, to carry the Domincan through the fourth, fifth and sixth and into the late innings with its 7-3 lead over Venezuela intact.

The trio showed their major league chops – Brazoban is a Met, Mejia a Rockie and Dominguez the newly-signed closer for the Chicago White Sox – in quelling the equally potent Venezuela lineup. They also picked up for starter Sandy Alcantara, who gave up three runs in three innings on 44 pitches.

Fernando Tatis Jr. three-run homer busts it open for Dominican

The clouts are only getting mightier for the Dominican Republic.

Fernando Tatis Jr. ripped a two-out, three-run homer with two outs in the top of the fourth inning, extending the Dominican’s lead to 7-3 over Venezuela – with all the runs coming on home runs.

Tatis joined Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in hitting his second homer in four games of this WBC, and Ketel Marte and Juan Soto also went deep. Yet this rally also revealed the great depth of the Dominican lineup.

Venezuela reliever Antonio Senzatela looked primed for a 1-2-3 inning. Then, he walked No. 8 hitter Austin Wells. Geraldo Perdomo, the great Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop, then followed with a single up the middle, turning the lineup over for Tatis.

He did not miss, crushing a Senzatela slider 394 feet over the Venezuela bullpen in left field, punctuating it with a bat flip on his follow-through and the de rigueuer giddy trip around the bases.

Venezuela scores two more, narrows Dominican lead to 4-3

If the Dominican Republic is owning the air above loanDepot Park’s playing surface, Venezuela will simply stick to the ground game.

Venezuela got RBI doubles from Maikel Garcia and Luis Arráez as it trimmed the Dominican Republic’s lead to 4-3 after three innings.

Naturally, the rally was started by Ronald Acuña Jr., who drew a leadoff walk, stole second and scored on Garcia’s double. By inning’s end, Dominican starter Sandy Alcantara’s pitch count hit 44, and he’s likely done for the night.

Antonio Senzatela has come on in relief for Venezuela in the top of the fourth.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. rockets a third homer for 4-1 Dominican lead

All they do is hit home runs.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit the third home run in as many innings for the Dominican Republic, clouting an Eduard Bazardo sweeper into the glum Venezuela bullpen in left field to give the visitors a 4-1 lead heading to the bottom of the third inning in Miami.

It was Guerrero’s second home run of this WBC and it came one out after Ketel Marte extended the lead on his own solo shot. Juan Soto got the party going early with a two-run, first-inning homer.

Ketel Marte jumps on home run train for 3-1 Dominican lead

Eduardo Rodriguez has been chased from the game, and another man has donned the Dominican Republic’s home run jacket.

Ketel Marte drove a Rodriguez sinker 403 feet out to left field and into a throng of giddy fans as the Dominican Republic took a 3-1 lead in the top of the third inning at Miami.

All three home runs, per the modern Dominican WBC custom, have come via the long ball. Rodriguez stayed in for one more batter to strike out Juan Soto – he homered early – and was lifted for Eduard Bazardo.

Venezuela gets one back immediately, trails 2-1

Hold off on the all-night party at loanDepot Park for the Dominican Republic.

Though not as gaudy as Juan Soto’s 409-foot home run, the Venezuelans nonetheless cut their deficit in half on a walk and two singles, the latter by Willson Contreras off Dominican starter Sandy Alcantara to score Maikel Garcia and make it a 2-1 game.

Alcantara finished the first inning with 19 pitches.

Juan Soto jumps on Venezuela for two-run homer

Yes, the Dominican lineup is as impossible to pitch to as it seems. Eduardo Rodriguez found that out immediately.

On just his 13th pitch, $765 million man Juan Soto smoked a 409-foot, two-run homer to near dead center field, giving the Dominican Republic an instant 2-0 lead. Soto’s homer followed Ketel Marte’s single to right.

It was Soto’s second home run of this WBC. Can Ronald Acuña Jr. answer? Stay tuned.

How to watch Dominican Republic vs Venezuela baseball

• Time: 7 p.m. ET
• TV channel: Tubi
• Live stream: Fubo

Watch DR vs Cuba WBC game live

Dominican Republic lineup 

Starting pitcher: RHP Sandy Alcantara

1. RF Fernando Tatis Jr.
2. 2B Ketel Marte
3. LF Juan Soto
4. 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
5. 3B Manny Machado
6. DH Junior Caminero
7. CF Julio Rodriguez
8. C Austin Wells
9. SS Geraldo Perdomo

Venezuela lineup tonight

Starting pitcher: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez

1. RF Ronald Acuña Jr.
2. 3B Maikel Garcia
3. 2B Luis Arráez
4. 1B Willson Contreras
5. DH Salvador Perez
6. C William Contreras
7. LF Wilyer Abreu
8. SS Ezequiel Tovar
9. CF Jackson Chourio

WBC Pool D standings

• Dominican Republic: 3-0
• Venezuela: 3-0
• Israel: 2-2
• Netherlands: 1-3
• Nicaragua: 0-4

The Dallas Cowboys won’t have three big-name interior defensive linemen in 2026 after all.

The Cowboys agreed to trade defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for a third-round draft pick, according to multiple reports on Wednesday, March 11.

The deal marks a new chapter for the interior disruptor and both franchises. San Francisco nets yet another established veteran who could help the team catch up in the NFC West arms race. Dallas, meanwhile, gains more flexibility in the short and long term as it reconfigures its defense under new coordinator Christian Parker. The Cowboys on Wednesday also sent defensive tackle Solomon Thomas to the Tennessee Titans in exchange for a late-round pick swap.

But which team came out ahead in the deal between San Francisco and Dallas? Here are our grades:

49ers trade grade: B

An injury-ravaged 49ers defensive line couldn’t generate much heat last season, finishing with a pressure rate (26.7%) that ranked second-worst in the NFL, according to Next Gen Stats. With former NFL Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa and first-round defensive end Mykel Williams back from torn anterior cruciate ligaments (ACL) suffered last fall, expect the line’s dynamic to change significantly.

In 2025, Odighizuwa posted his fewest pressures (37) of the past three seasons, but he made more of a difference against the run than he did in previous years. He should be entirely at home in a San Francisco scheme that will allow him to penetrate gaps and be aggressive. And he should work well operating alongside forceful second-year defensive tackle Alfred Collins.

The cost factor shouldn’t be overlooked here, as a third-round pick and picking up Odighizuwa’s contract make for a sizable tab. But defensive tackles who can actually make a dent in the pass game don’t come cheap, and the 49ers now are better positioned to throw the likes of the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks off their game.

Cowboys trade grade: B

It would be easy to ding Jerry Jones for shipping off a former key contributor after the owner said he could envision his team being aggressive in free agency. But this is a nice return and a solid way of recalibrating the defense’s investments.

The Cowboys already had plenty invested up front with trade acquisitions Quinnen Williams and Kenny Clark. Dallas’ defense seemed to be at its best last season when it unleashed five-man fronts shortly after securing Williams and Parker, who previously spoke of the need to cater his scheme to the available talent, seemed amenable to getting back to that setup.

‘You can be multiple, the body types that you can provide for the team, you can get different types of interior linemen, outside linebackers,’ Parker said in February. ‘You get in different front structures, four-down, five-down, six-down, three-down, and it just kind of feeds into the demeanor of how you want to play from a personality standpoint with speed on the field.’

But Odighizuwa might not have had a perfect fit within Parker’s scheme, and he seemed like the odd man out up front. Cutting him wasn’t an option given the $32.75 million dead cap hit that the team would have incurred by doing so. Getting a third-round pick back aids Jones’ effort to reimagine the unit, particularly after Dallas coughed up a fourth-round selection to acquire edge rusher Rashan Gary.

The Las Vegas Raiders announced March 10 the Baltimore Ravens had ‘backed out’ of their agreed trade for star edge rusher Maxx Crosby.

Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta addressed the team’s decision for the first time in a March 11 news conference.

DeCosta explained to reporters he and the team were ‘really excited’ about the possibility of adding Crosby. They simply decided they couldn’t go through with the deal as the trade process unfolded.

‘One of the key things is you bring the player in and you try to get as much information as you can,’ DeCosta explained. ‘We did that and we were not able to complete the process of acquiring a player based on our assessment of the situation.’

DeCosta called the decision ‘tough’ and ‘challenging’ for all parties. He was also adamant that the Ravens did not get cold feet ahead of the trade’s consummation; he was just doing ‘what’s best for the club’ – however disappointing it was for everyone involved.

‘Nobody’s more upset about this than me,’ DeCosta said. ‘Gutted by it, actually. A big regret for me. But we will move on as a football team, and I think there’s many, many opportunities for us to grow as a team.’

DeCosta did not provide additional clarity on exactly what had caused the deal to fall through.

Initial reports indicated a medical issue found during Crosby’s physical examination with the Ravens had derailed the team.

Crosby reportedly played through the injury before being shut down by the Raiders following their Week 15 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. He had surgery to fix the malady following the season, as NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport outlined.

‘Maxx Crosby had surgery to repair his meniscus right around the end of the season,’ Rapoport said on March 10. ‘Meniscus repairs can take three to four months. He was doing well, it was not as major as it could have been.

‘If you trade for Maxx Crosby, you have a belief that he is not going to be fully healthy, but that he’s going to be far enough along where you feel confident that his knee is going to be fine. This decision … is an indication that [the Ravens] do not believe it is going to be fine.’

It was initially reported the Raiders and Ravens had agreed upon terms to send Crosby to Baltimore on March 6. The Ravens were set to send two first-round picks – including the 14th overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft – to the Raiders to complete the trade.

With the trade nixed by Crosby’s failed physical, both of the picks were returned to the Ravens.

Baltimore didn’t waste any time finding a high-end replacement for Crosby. The Ravens signed former Cincinnati Bengals edge rusher Trey Hendrickson to a four-year deal worth up to $112 million.

DeCosta expressed excitement about bringing Hendrickson into the fold. However, the 54-year-old executive also noted the team had hoped to potentially land both Hendrickson and Crosby as part of its offseason haul.

‘That was definitely a possibility for us. Not to say it would have happened, but definitely something we had contemplated and discussed with Trey.’

Instead, the Ravens will rely on Hendrickson to invigorate a Baltimore pass rush that ranked in the bottom five in sacks produced during the 2025 NFL season (30).

Meanwhile, Crosby is back with the Raiders and will now face questions about whether he will be traded again ahead of his eighth NFL season.

Maxx Crosby is available once again after the Las Vegas Raiders’ agreement to trade the star pass rusher to the Baltimore Ravens fell through.

If Adam ‘Pacman’ Jones is to be believed, that could open the door for the Cincinnati Bengals to swoop in and acquire Crosby.

‘My sources says that the Bengals are about to trade for Maxx Crosby,’ Jones said in a video posted on social media.

Jones did not provide any additional information about a potential trade between the Bengals and the Raiders. The former NFL cornerback, who spent 8 of his 13 seasons in Cincinnati, simply said he has ‘really good sources’ informing him.

‘I’m just saying what my sources said,’ Jones said. ‘Let’s see if my sources are right.’

The Bengals lost two of their top edge rushers – Trey Hendrickson and Joseph Ossai – in free agency. Ossai signed a three-year deal to join the New York Jets while Hendrickson joined the Ravens less than 24 hours after Baltimore nixed its trade for Crosby.

Cincinnati signed former Seattle Seahawks edge rusher Boye Mafe in free agency to help replace the duo. They also have 2023 and 2025 first-round picks, Myles Murphy and Shemar Stewart, at the position.

Would that be enough to dissuade the Bengals from trading for Crosby? Only time will tell. But should they desire a high-end upgrade, they have enough cap space – $24.2 million, per OverTheCap.com – to chase the five-time Pro Bowler.

Regardless of what Cincinnati does, Jones expressed he is greatly excited ahead of the 2026 NFL season.

‘Oh, we’re gonna be so (expletive) good this year,’ Jones said of the Bengals. ‘I can’t wait for football season.’

Arizona State is parting ways with longtime men’s basketball head coach Bobby Hurley, athletics director Graham Rossini announced on Wednesday, March 11.

‘Bobby Hurley has made incredible contributions to the sport of basketball, and that certainly includes many memorable moments during his time as our head coach,’ Rossini said in a statement. ‘While we will not be extending his contract, we are so grateful for the 11 years that Coach, Leslie, Cameron, Sydney, Bobby Jr., and he spent with us at ASU.

‘We wish Coach well moving forward and we are thankful for his leadership while at ASU.’

According to multiple reports, Hurley is expected to be placed on administrative leave until his contract expires in June. He leaves as the second-winningest coach in program history behind only Ned Wulk with a 185-167 record in 11 seasons.

The announcement comes just hours after the Sun Devils were eliminated from the Big 12 tournament in a 91-42 blowout loss to No. 7 Iowa State.

Arizona State had a promising start to the season after finishing runner-up at the Maui Invitational and losing a closely contested game against Gonzaga. They couldn’t find consistency from then on, however.

That was evident in January, where a pair of crucial conference wins at home against Kansas State and Cincinnati sandwiched a stretch of key losses to Houston, West Virginia and Arizona, none of which was particularly close.

The Sun Devils finished the season with a 17-15 record and entered the Big 12 tournament as the last place seed.

‘I don’t have any regrets,’ Hurley told reporters after the game. ‘I laid it out on the line the best I could every night.’

In making sense of Bam Adebayo’s historic night, a couple of things became clear.

For one, the exasperation and handwringing is bordering on the absurd. For another, Adam Silver may have inadvertently found the NBA’s solution for tanking.

In what has become the most unexpected individual performance in NBA history, the Miami Heat center dropped 83 points Tuesday, March 10, against the Washington Wizards. It was a singular achievement, one in which he surpassed late Lakers icon Kobe Bryant (81) for second-most points in a single game in history.

Some corners of the Internet whined that Adebayo required 43 free-throw attempts and 36 conversions — both NBA records — to make history.

Make no mistake: his night should be celebrated. You’d be hard-pressed to find many humans who can scratch 83 on their own driveways, let alone an actual NBA game.

Bam Adebayo’s 83-point game is cause for celebration

On a random Tuesday in March, the entire pro basketball world was glued to a game only available on local broadcasts. Players in other arenas on the West Coast watched the final minutes on their phones or got updates as Adebayo eclipsed Bryant, one of the idols for this generation actively playing in the league.

In many ways, Adebayo’s 83-bomb defies logic. He’s a 16.1-point-per-game career scorer. His previous career high was 41, which he had surpassed by halftime. It also means he more than doubled that previous career best. There are so many other statistical oddities that make Adebayo’s performance difficult to comprehend.

This was a player chasing greatness and his coaches and teammates facilitating that pursuit. It was a joyous occasion, one that brought awareness to a team captain who prides himself on defensive effort — something often lacking in the league — and a player whose humble beginnings in a single-wide trailer in North Carolina are now being amplified to the masses.

Social media tends to suck the joy from things. The temptation is to measure Adebayo’s game against Kobe and Wilt Chamberlain, but that’s largely reductive. In a vacuum, this was simply an unprecedented display of athletic greatness. Commemorate that.

Tanking tactics meet Bam Adebayo’s historic night

And, perhaps unintentionally, Adebayo also delivered a solution to the NBA’s issue on tanking: if teams are willingly self-sabotaging and compromising their integrity, shame them into infamy.

“There was a lot of fouls called — 16 free throws in the fourth quarter,” Wizards coach Brian Keefe said of Adebayo after the game. “Just trying to take the ball out of his hands. He still got some free throws 40 feet away from the rim — can’t explain those calls. That’s all I got to say on that.”

This is exactly what getting embarrassed should feel like. Washington, losers of nine consecutive games, has become a willing doormat as it plans for the future, a common practice for rebuilding teams.

But rather than bemoan officiating, Keefe should explain why the most intense defense his team has played all season came in the final minutes of the fourth, when Washington triple-teamed Adebayo and tried to deny him on inbounds passes. The Wizards, at one point, even intentionally fouled Heat forward Keshad Johnson to put him on the line instead of Adebayo.

Perhaps if the Wizards had exerted this much effort night in and night out, they wouldn’t have been in this position.

Washington is the (proud?) owner of the NBA’s worst defense, allowing 120.6 points per 100 possessions. But it’s the team’s apathy and inability to do anything but foul Adebayo that put the Wizards in this spot.

“The fourth quarter just turned into not a real basketball game,” Keefe added.

He’s not totally wrong; Miami committed an intentional foul with 1:41 left in the game while up 27, in an attempt to get Adebayo more looks. Johnson, in an effort to one-up Washington’s intentional foul on him, tried to direct the ball to Adebayo with an intentionally missed free throw. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra even challenged an Adebayo offensive foul with 2:56 left when Miami was up 25.

But what Keefe gets wrong is that the integrity of this game was compromised months ago, before a single player stepped onto the floor Tuesday night.

Washington, not-so-subtly, has been engaged in a tanking effort over the past three months, if not multiple seasons. And because the team’s 2026 first-round selection is Top-8 protected, the Wizards are doing everything they can to ensure it stays with the franchise.

Trae Young, whom the Wizards acquired Jan. 7, missed Tuesday’s game and has played for Washington just twice. Anthony Davis, acquired Feb. 4, hasn’t made a single appearance for the Wizards.

All of this begs the question: if a supremely talented player but average scorer like Adebayo could go on a heater and explode for 83 points on Washington, will other players now hunt the Wizards?

If Washington continues to self-sabotage, they might as well.

Later this month, the Wizards play the Thunder and Knicks in consecutive nights. What’s to stop Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Jalen Brunson from trying for 85? Then, on March 30, the Wizards will travel to face the Lakers and the NBA’s leading scorer, Luka Dončić.

The thing that should endure in all of this, however, is Adebayo. As the NBA tries to compete with other sports for viewership and attention, stories like his and performances like these deserve amplification.

“Wilt, me, then Kobe,” a reflective Adebayo told reporters after the game. “It sounds crazy.”